Chapter 027 Everything Will Come Back, Won't It?

Construction Bank, ATM.

There was no movement around.

Apart from damaged vehicles and the occasional decomposed body, there were no zombies in sight.

There was a time when withdrawing money required one to queue, but now it was truly easy; you just walked in and withdrew the money.

Upon entering, an electronic voice spoke.

It simply reminded you to lock the door and press the button next to you should any problems arise.

Lin Fan inserted his bank card, entered his password, and the page flashed, quickly bringing up the withdrawal screen.

The maximum one could withdraw at a time was five thousand, considering the situation, he decided to take ten thousand first. The sound of counting notes started, rustling… a stack of five thousand, then another stack of five thousand, totaling ten thousand.

He did not check the balance. People are naturally curious and like to probe into the unknown, but since the card wasn't his, he simply pocketed the money, took his card, and left the ATM.

Xinfeng Real Estate.

"Boss, I've come to view the listings for four elders, do you have any available in my building?"

Seeing the still-handsome Gu Wen, he greeted him with a smile, asking amicably without expecting a reply, making it his choice to be friendly.

The disorganized store didn't put him off, as the fact that it was open suggested business was still running. Why it was messy was a matter for the cleaning lady.

He searched the store for listings, unsure if he'd find any.

"Sunshine District, Building Two… Building Two."

Suddenly.

He found a listing, Block 2, Building Two, Room 603, 1800/month.

The price was much cheaper than what he rented for Li Mei.

It must have been related to the higher floor. He tried calling the number listed, but it didn't go through; it seemed the owner had encountered difficulties in the apocalypse.

If the owner did not consent, it certainly wasn't possible to rent.

Fortunately, this was a real estate agency, and they could make decisions on their own.

Deposit for three months.

One and three make three, one and four make four, four eights are thirty-two, totaling seven thousand two hundred.

He counted the money and placed it on the table.

"Here's the money; I'm renting for three months."

Then, holding the keys, he softly said to the attractive boss as he headed towards the door,

"Boss, I'm leaving."

...

In a certain district, third floor.

Li Mei hid on the balcony, secretly looking outside; the apocalypse had truly been torturous for women. Fortunately, her daughter was by her side, giving her the determination to keep living.

Even if not for herself, she had to survive for her daughter.

The prospect of renting them a house and running errands for them could very well be a vital factor in their survival. She longed to see that familiar figure.

While waiting, she saw zombies occasionally staggering around the streets.

At that moment, her eyes lit up, spotting that familiar figure. No mistake, in her eyes, he was a beacon, a light of survival, the only glimpse of hope for humanity she could see in the apocalypse.

She didn't shout.

Only a fool would do that. Don't think that all women are brainless. She'd seen many movies and dramas. Sometimes, infuriated by certain scenarios, she too wanted to wring the scriptwriter's neck for depicting women so idiotically.

The figure disappeared from sight.

She was not panicked at all.

She knew he must have entered the district.

Knock knock!

Soft knocking on the door.

"It's me, I'm here."

Lin Fan's voice came softly from outside, cautious to not startle them with a loud noise in these oppressive times, which could potentially cause undue distress.

The door opened.

Lin Fan saw a sparkle in Li Mei's eyes, a gleam of anticipation.

"I've found a place for you, it's right above my apartment, Room 804, a two-bedroom one living room, not a bad spot. Check if there's anything at home you need to take over, though perhaps don't bring too much just yet, just some daily necessities. The rest can be fetched later."

There was no way they could carry much anyway.

Naturally, they didn't need to bring furniture, as the rented apartment was essentially furnished; they just needed toiletries, clothes, and other essentials for daily life.

"Got it, got it," Li Mei nodded rapidly.

Lin Fan said, "I'll wait for you outside. Pack up, and then I'll introduce you to four elderly people; they are new tenants too, I just got them places as well."

Soon, Li Mei and her daughter were packing their things.

A few clothes were enough.

A photo album, a plain photo album, it featured a family of three together. Li Mei looked at the picture of her husband, her eyes slightly moist. She took a deep breath and whispered, "Qingyang, don't worry, I will take care of Feifei and live well."

"Have you packed everything?"

Lin Fan watched Li Mei carrying a large bag, feeling that she was taking too little, but then he thought that she probably feared taking too much and becoming encumbered. If zombies noticed them, that would be troublesome. However, he felt there was no need for such worry; in his view, zombies were fairly easy to deal with.

"Yes, I've packed, and I've brought everything that's needed."

At that moment, Lin Fan noticed that the little girl had nothing in her hands and asked curiously, "Where's your backpack?"

"Huh?" Feifei blinked her bright eyes.

Backpack?

What backpack?

Not just Feifei was confused, even her mom, Li Mei, didn't quite understand.

"Although it's the apocalypse and school is out, you are still young and need to study. Luckily, there's an old lady nearby; she is a retired teacher and can teach you."

"Study hard, make progress every day. Knowledge can strengthen you. I regret that I didn't study well enough back in the day."

"Go on, get your backpack on."

Lin Fan hoped the child would continue her studies, no matter how tough life got or how harsh the environment was. It was crucial to keep a desire to learn; no matter the difficulty, it couldn't stop her if she wanted to learn.

After hearing these words,

Li Mei strongly agreed. She too wanted her daughter to study. At such a young age, what else could be more important than studying?

Feifei opened her mouth, dumbstruck.

"Mom, uncle, do we still need to study, even in the apocalypse?"

She wasn't much interested in studying, usually ranking in the middle of her class. Now that the apocalypse had arrived, figuring out how to survive was what mattered, not studying. Surely, no one would be studying.

Children are after all still children. In times of crisis engulfing the world, they surely feel scared, but the thought of not having to go to school might excite them even more.

There were news stories where kids, without thinking, threw their backpacks into a house fire.

Is a house on fire urgent? Definitely.

But there's nothing more critical than throwing a backpack into it.

"Listen to your uncle, he makes sense. Studying is the only thing you can do right now." Just like all parents related to their child's education, Li Mei believed whatever was said about studying was right if it could encourage her daughter to learn.

"Alright, I'll go get my backpack." Feifei ran to her room to pack her books.

Lin Fan was relieved; persuading a child to study was undoubtedly a good thing. Sometimes, a single sentence could change a child's future.

At that moment, Li Mei remembered the turtle she had prepared was still not in the pot. She hurried to the kitchen to finish preparing it.

"Let's go."

Lin Fan carried Li Mei's bag and led the way with Frostmourne.

On the streets.

Li Mei and Feifei walked quietly, fearful of making noise that would attract zombies.

"It's okay, just be normal. Even if there are zombies, I'll deal with them," Lin Fan said softly. He was nonchalant but knew very well that the mother and daughter were not as formidable as him and must be scared of the zombies. Thus, he did not impose his courage and fearlessness onto them.

People are the same, but capabilities differ.

Just like those people he met in the library; though they didn't follow the rules, he only mentioned it and did not force them to comply.

Zombies were still quite dangerous.

For most people, that was the case.

Now.

This was the first time Li Mei and her daughter walked the streets since the outbreak began. Looking around at the desolate scenery was painfully upsetting; it was too quiet, eerily quiet.

Shattered glass, overturned cars, and decaying bodies...

All these assaulted their senses.

Lin Fan noticed their somber mood.

Softly he said,

"We'll get back to normal. There's me, there's you, and other survivors. The old Yellow City will return, won't it?"

He smiled, never having lost hope for this city.

Because the hope of the city lay in those who were alive.

As long as there was morality, boundaries, and principles, the future was hopeful.

And everything would return.

A gentle breeze drifted by.

The setting sun bathed the quiet street in its glow.

Three figures, seemingly dejected, yet his silhouette appeared as steadfast as a mountain, radiating a dazzling light.

Instilling a sense of comfort.

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